CONFIMRED - The 2nd final countdown

[Crusader Royal]

Allowing 7th I to the playoffs at this late stage would not be possible surely ? It would require a rule change.
The logical thing is for us to forfeit our semi final and our opponent go straight to the final. There would be no clubs disadvantaged by that and no grounds for anyone challenging it.

[Elm Park Kid]

My summary:
- The EFL is fully aware of how disastrous it would be for themselves and English football in general if they were to kick a club Reading out of the league.
- Allowing uncertainty about which team will be in which league next season, is a big problem, but nowhere near as big as the above.
- Stopping us from competing in the play offs whilst the uncertainty exists would be both a sensible way of limiting the potential damage, whilst also acting as a deterrence to future owners from ignoring EFL mandates.
- However, given that it would also diminish the 'integrity' of the final few games of the season, I don't think a decision would be announced until after our last game.
- I would guess that Dai/Couhig would be given a deadline to complete the deal by 4th May, with a prearranged (non-public) punishment of explosion from the play offs if they don't.
- We would then get a 'real' deadline of the 31 May to complete the deal or Reading would be kicked out of the EFL.

[Elm Park Kid]

Allowing 7th I to the playoffs at this late stage would not be possible surely ? It would require a rule change.
The logical thing is for us to forfeit our semi final and our opponent go straight to the final. There would be no clubs disadvantaged by that and no grounds for anyone challenging it.

The other 2 teams in the play off places could challenge that the other team will have had an advantage due to a longer rest period?

Who is going to challenge 7th being allowed to take Reading's place? There's no justification for any club to do so?

The EFL can make up new rules if needed.

[Winston Biscuit]

until I see video footage of Couhig staggering around celebrating outside the Purple Turtle, so drunk he needs holding up by someone on each side, his incoherent mumbling only paused so he can vomit down his own front, I won't believe a deal has been signed.

[stealthpapes]

4) No final game at the SCL, which if it went ahead would be liable to be troublesome, to say the least, if there is any chance of the club folding during the summer.

This is understatement at its very best

[traff]

My summary:
- The EFL is fully aware of how disastrous it would be for themselves and English football in general if they were to kick a club Reading out of the league.
- Allowing uncertainty about which team will be in which league next season, is a big problem, but nowhere near as big as the above.
- Stopping us from competing in the play offs whilst the uncertainty exists would be both a sensible way of limiting the potential damage, whilst also acting as a deterrence to future owners from ignoring EFL mandates.
- However, given that it would also diminish the 'integrity' of the final few games of the season, I don't think a decision would be announced until after our last game.
- I would guess that Dai/Couhig would be given a deadline to complete the deal by 4th May, with a prearranged (non-public) punishment of explosion from the play offs if they don't.
- We would then get a 'real' deadline of the 31 May to complete the deal or Reading would be kicked out of the EFL.

That would be really naïve of the EFL to not let people watch and pay big money to watch a Dai explosion!

[Sutekh]

My summary:
- The EFL is fully aware of how disastrous it would be for themselves and English football in general if they were to kick a club Reading out of the league.
- Allowing uncertainty about which team will be in which league next season, is a big problem, but nowhere near as big as the above.
- Stopping us from competing in the play offs whilst the uncertainty exists would be both a sensible way of limiting the potential damage, whilst also acting as a deterrence to future owners from ignoring EFL mandates.
- However, given that it would also diminish the 'integrity' of the final few games of the season, I don't think a decision would be announced until after our last game.
- I would guess that Dai/Couhig would be given a deadline to complete the deal by 4th May, with a prearranged (non-public) punishment of explosion from the play offs if they don't.
- We would then get a 'real' deadline of the 31 May to complete the deal or Reading would be kicked out of the EFL.

That would be really naïve of the EFL to not let people watch and pay big money to watch a Dai explosion!

Would they explode Dai and Couhig together or at different times independently?

[The Royal Forester]

4) No final game at the SCL, which if it went ahead would be liable to be troublesome, to say the least, if there is any chance of the club folding during the summer.

This is understatement at its very best

I did consider the word carnage, but thought it would be an overstatement. On second thoughts though..............

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Allowing 7th I to the playoffs at this late stage would not be possible surely ? It would require a rule change.
The logical thing is for us to forfeit our semi final and our opponent go straight to the final. There would be no clubs disadvantaged by that and no grounds for anyone challenging it.

The other 2 teams in the play off places could challenge that the other team will have had an advantage due to a longer rest period?

Who is going to challenge 7th being allowed to take Reading's place? There's no justification for any club to do so?

The EFL can make up new rules if needed.

Hardly an issue - there's a huge gap between the semis and the playoff final.

[Snowflake Royal]

Allowing 7th I to the playoffs at this late stage would not be possible surely ? It would require a rule change.
The logical thing is for us to forfeit our semi final and our opponent go straight to the final. There would be no clubs disadvantaged by that and no grounds for anyone challenging it.

Why, if we're removed from.the league, we're no longer 6th and everyone moves up one place.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Allowing 7th I to the playoffs at this late stage would not be possible surely ? It would require a rule change.
The logical thing is for us to forfeit our semi final and our opponent go straight to the final. There would be no clubs disadvantaged by that and no grounds for anyone challenging it.

Why, if we're removed from.the league, we're no longer 6th and everyone moves up one place.

How do they remove us from the league, are all points won against us taken off teams? Is anything close enough that doing that would change league places at the top or bottom of the league?

[Snowflake Royal]

4) No final game at the SCL, which if it went ahead would be liable to be troublesome, to say the least, if there is any chance of the club folding during the summer.

This is understatement at its very best

I did consider the word carnage, but thought it would be an overstatement. On second thoughts though..............

At most it would be some minor damage to the pitch goals and seats.

A bit of throwing stuff, chanting, lots of confusion, crying and general ambling about, and a few morons getting in a fight with each other for not reacting the 'right' way.

[Snowflake Royal]

Allowing 7th I to the playoffs at this late stage would not be possible surely ? It would require a rule change.
The logical thing is for us to forfeit our semi final and our opponent go straight to the final. There would be no clubs disadvantaged by that and no grounds for anyone challenging it.

Why, if we're removed from.the league, we're no longer 6th and everyone moves up one place.

How do they remove us from the league, are all points won against us taken off teams? Is anything close enough that doing that would change league places at the top or bottom of the league?

No, results stand because all matches were completed... we're just bumped.

[tmesis]

I can envisage the following:

- Couhig unable to do the deal by 22nd, but close enough for the EFL to give an extension to May 4th
- Reading get to Play-Offs
- Deal getting even closer by May 4th; further and final extension by EFL until after the end of the Play Offs
- Reading win play-offs
- Dai pulls out of the deal, demanding more money because we are now a Championship club.
- Couhig walks away
- EFL kick us out of the League; defeated team in Play Offs go up to Championship instead

I don't think that the losers of the final would be promoted.

That's exactly what happened when Swindon won the play-off final, then got relegated for breaching league rules.

[Reading4eva]

I watched the Couhig interview which was posted on here somewhere, He addressed the speculation about the academy and more or less said it has to pay for itself, Now he is a businessman so he'll be looking at a longer term payoff rather than breaking even every season but he did say the Michael Olise money isn't something they can bank on happening again.... That's my interpretation of what it said, If I'm wrong and you're reading this Mr Couhig, please don't sue me, especially considering I've spelt your name right.

All sounds pretty prudent and sensible to me, No point having an academy if it's costing us money and simply churning out players not good enough for our first team season after season and those players are not being sold at a high enough price to cover the running costs.

I think we are seeing a real benefit in League One because we are producing players capable of playing at League One level, I guess if we get promoted we won't see kids breaking through for a season or two (assuming we have more in the pipeline) because they would go out on loan to a League One or Two side first to get the experience we wouldn't be able to offer them. The kids who could have broken through at Championship level next season are the ones who were sold on when times were tough or are in the team now.

I think the one you refer to was the one I did a few weeks back - https://youtu.be/PuW8acbuNu0

Couhig came across as someone who knows what he is doing. I can imagine we would scale back academy operations but within reason as not to lose Category 1. Once promotion is achieved then he will increase this a little.

I will try and speak to Rob again once he has completed the takeover but I don't want to jump in at such a vital moment in the process which I think is now. Rob has more important things to deal with than talking to me for half an hour

[Vision]

I watched the Couhig interview which was posted on here somewhere, He addressed the speculation about the academy and more or less said it has to pay for itself, Now he is a businessman so he'll be looking at a longer term payoff rather than breaking even every season but he did say the Michael Olise money isn't something they can bank on happening again.... That's my interpretation of what it said, If I'm wrong and you're reading this Mr Couhig, please don't sue me, especially considering I've spelt your name right.

All sounds pretty prudent and sensible to me, No point having an academy if it's costing us money and simply churning out players not good enough for our first team season after season and those players are not being sold at a high enough price to cover the running costs.

I think we are seeing a real benefit in League One because we are producing players capable of playing at League One level, I guess if we get promoted we won't see kids breaking through for a season or two (assuming we have more in the pipeline) because they would go out on loan to a League One or Two side first to get the experience we wouldn't be able to offer them. The kids who could have broken through at Championship level next season are the ones who were sold on when times were tough or are in the team now.

I think the one you refer to was the one I did a few weeks back - https://youtu.be/PuW8acbuNu0

Couhig came across as someone who knows what he is doing. I can imagine we would scale back academy operations but within reason as not to lose Category 1. Once promotion is achieved then he will increase this a little.

Not sure you can "scale back Academy operations" and not lose Cat 1 status. It's a pretty stringent criteria which we lost a couple of seasons ago. I can't imagine we can downscale for any significant saving and still maintain the standard required. We're either going to be running a Cat 1 Academy or we're not.

[Orion1871]

I watched the Couhig interview which was posted on here somewhere, He addressed the speculation about the academy and more or less said it has to pay for itself, Now he is a businessman so he'll be looking at a longer term payoff rather than breaking even every season but he did say the Michael Olise money isn't something they can bank on happening again.... That's my interpretation of what it said, If I'm wrong and you're reading this Mr Couhig, please don't sue me, especially considering I've spelt your name right.

All sounds pretty prudent and sensible to me, No point having an academy if it's costing us money and simply churning out players not good enough for our first team season after season and those players are not being sold at a high enough price to cover the running costs.

I think we are seeing a real benefit in League One because we are producing players capable of playing at League One level, I guess if we get promoted we won't see kids breaking through for a season or two (assuming we have more in the pipeline) because they would go out on loan to a League One or Two side first to get the experience we wouldn't be able to offer them. The kids who could have broken through at Championship level next season are the ones who were sold on when times were tough or are in the team now.

I think the one you refer to was the one I did a few weeks back - https://youtu.be/PuW8acbuNu0

Couhig came across as someone who knows what he is doing. I can imagine we would scale back academy operations but within reason as not to lose Category 1. Once promotion is achieved then he will increase this a little.

Not sure you can "scale back Academy operations" and not lose Cat 1 status. It's a pretty stringent criteria which we lost a couple of seasons ago. I can't imagine we can downscale for any significant saving and still maintain the standard required. We're either going to be running a Cat 1 Academy or we're not.

Yeah but it was a good way for B'muff4Eva to plug his podcast again.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I think the one you refer to was the one I did a few weeks back - https://youtu.be/PuW8acbuNu0

Couhig came across as someone who knows what he is doing. I can imagine we would scale back academy operations but within reason as not to lose Category 1. Once promotion is achieved then he will increase this a little.

Not sure you can "scale back Academy operations" and not lose Cat 1 status. It's a pretty stringent criteria which we lost a couple of seasons ago. I can't imagine we can downscale for any significant saving and still maintain the standard required. We're either going to be running a Cat 1 Academy or we're not.

Yeah but it was a good way for B'muff4Eva to plug his podcast again.

Bournemouth fan plugging his YouTube channel again

[Pepe the Horseman]

Not sure you can "scale back Academy operations" and not lose Cat 1 status. It's a pretty stringent criteria which we lost a couple of seasons ago. I can't imagine we can downscale for any significant saving and still maintain the standard required. We're either going to be running a Cat 1 Academy or we're not.

Yeah but it was a good way for B'muff4Eva to plug his podcast again.

Bournemouth fan plugging his YouTube channel again

Shame the mods won't do anything about it.

[Sutekh]

Yeah but it was a good way for B'muff4Eva to plug his podcast again.

Bournemouth fan plugging his YouTube channel again

Shame the mods won't do anything about it.

Given there’s no out and out Reading fan doing a podcast, and getting interviews with RC, I would welcome “adverts” of anything r4eva has on the subject. Even Tim & Ady hadn’t got the nous to talk to him during all this stuff.